Illinois pilot won't face court-martial

The Air Force has decided not to court-martial a U.S. fighter pilot from Illinois who mistakenly dropped a 500-pound, laser-guided bomb that killed four Canadians in Afghanistan in 2002.

Maj. Harry Schmidt, 37, will face nonjudicial punishment and four dereliction-of-duty charges against him will be dismissed in court, the Air Force said Thursday.

Schmidt's lawyer, Charles Gittins, said the Air Force has agreed to allow him to remain employed with the Illinois Air National Guard, but not as a pilot. Gittins said his client did not want to fly for the Air Force anymore because he feels he has been "second guessed in a combat situation by people sitting back in the air-conditioned comfort of the Pentagon."

SLOW FIX: Travelers at O'Hare International Airport are likely to face serious delays at least until 2013 and Midway Airport will not be able to add more flights after 2020, according to a Federal Aviation Administration analysis issued Thursday.

O'Hare, one of nine airports handling more flights today than before the terrorist attacks in 2001, needs more capacity immediately, the FAA said. O'Hare officials hope to receive FAA approval next year to begin construction of new runways and to complete the project in 2013, alleviating the airport's capacity problems.

ASSAULT CHARGES: A North Chicago man pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl in February.

Lake County Circuit Judge James Booras set bail at $100,000, and Dawson is being held in Lake County Jail. Dawson's next scheduled court date is July 19.

The girl had intercourse with Dawson at a party in Round Lake Beach when she was drunk, said Round Lake Beach Detective Dennis Ziulek. If convicted of all charges, Dawson could be sentenced to 52 years in prison.

INTERNET HELP: Neighbors in Chicago can check via the Internet to see whether local construction projects are legal under a feature recently added to the city's official Web site.

By typing in an address, anyone can check for building permits issued in the last 18 months, officials said. Go to www.cityofchicago.org/DCAP/Permits/PermitStatus.html.